1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for handling produced water on a natural gas production well pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Produced water management has become a key challenge for most Exploration and Production (E&P) companies. Produced water is the water recovered from well flowback operations. There is limited demand for produced water since it can only be reused in select well completion and workover operations. Furthermore, the volume of produced water in the Appalachian Basin, for example, far exceeds the amount required for these processes. For these reasons, there is little to no demand for produced water. E&P companies are forced to transport produced fluids to disposal or recycling facilities or to shut-in wells entirely. This results in drastically increased operational costs, slowed development operations, and a complex water transport strategy.
Current technologies for produced water reduction include distillation, reduction through evaporation and solids disposal. These water reduction processes are still being developed and refined by several companies (see “Hydro Recovery”, “Logic Energy Solutions”, “Epiphany Water Solutions”, and more). Shortcomings of many of these designs include, but are not limited to, system complexity (both mechanical and electrical), specialty parts and maintenance, small water quantities/rates, and power demands.